Worst Ten Films Of 2011

Looking down at my worst of 2011 list it seems I managed to avoid many of this year’s cinematic duds, but let me tell you that having to sit through the animation atrocity that was Mars Needs Moms, the ice cold Chalet Girl and Dream House, the horror-thriller no-one wanted to be associated with, was more than enough to see me through.

The films I’ve chosen – and believe me when I say it was a very easy process – are what I believe to represent the most reprobate films I saw through the course of the year.

3. Pirates Of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (Dir: Robert Marshall, 2011)

Not only does this standalone instalment waste the talents of Penélope Cruz (Spanish vixen), Johnny Depp (brilliant) and Geoffrey Rush (Australian acting legend), but it completely fails to acknowledge the trilogy that precedes it. It’s nothing more than a tired, money-making wreck.

There’s not much more to say when its director (Jim Sheridan) and Oscar-winning cast member (Rachel Weisz) have already filed injunctions to have their names removed from the credits. Or, as it spoils the central twist, watch the trailer.

Felicity Jones may be the current ‘it’ actress, but this is schmaltzy, romanticised fodder at its most predictable and frustratingly dull. If you want a Jones fix, then opt for Albatross or Like Crazy instead.

A rising director, a talented cast and a welcomed edgy approach. All the ingredients were there for this to be a major hit. Sadly, these elements didn’t amalgamate well. Sorry, Warner Bros. Pictures. Better luck next time!